Light wire orthodontic attachment



Dec. 8, 1959 H.- D. KESLING LIGHT WIRE omnonouuc ATTACHMENT Filed April24. 1957 United States Patent LIGHT WIRE ORTHODONTIC ATTACHMENT HaroldD. Kesling, La Porte, Ind.

Application April 24, 1957, Serial No. 654,685

7 Claims. (Cl. 32-44) This invention relates in general to means foreffecting the proper alinement of teeth, and particularly to bands forteeth for cooperation with the arch or wire for providing the properpressure to the teeth. More specifically, the invention relates to thespecific means of securing the arch or wire to the bands.

The invention consists in an attachment applied to the bands for theteeth to permit a light wire, in the form {of an arch, to be easily andquickly applied to, or removed from, the attachment. The attachmentconsists of a body part which is arranged on the buccal or labialsurfaces and is curved to conform generally with the curvature of therespective teeth, the attachment being removably mounted on thecooperating tooth band and arranged on the teeth between the occlusaland gingival. The attachment is provided with wings which are preferablyintegral with the .body of the attachment, the wings being spacedinwardly of each side of each tooth {at the buccal or labial side of themouth. The wings are provided with proper openings, apertures orcutouts, to receive a light wire arch so as to eiiect a resilientpressure against a tooth to cause it to be straightened or shifted tothe proper position. The wire or arch may be threaded through alinedround apertures or openings in the wings, which apertures are midwaybetween the top and bottom of a tooth. The wings may be provided withslits or cuts merging with the openings, whereby a part of each wing maybe folded outwardly away from its cooperating wing to receive the wire,and then bent back to original position so as to maintain the Wire orarch in position in the apertures of the wings. A preferred embodimentof the invention, however, consists in the provision of an attachmentwhich is of such a character as to permit the arch wire to be snappedreadily into, and out of, the openings in the wings. The arch wire, whensnapped in place for tooth straightening purposes, will remain in suchsnapped-in position except when purposely removed by the orthodontist ordentist.

The attachment, having the snap feature, may be applied to the band atthe buccal or labial side intermediate the occlusal and gingival andintermediate the side edges of the teeth. The application of theattachment to the band may be done in any convenient manner, such as bysoldering or spot welding.

The invention further contemplates the provision of an attachment whichis integral with the band, whereupon the band including the attachmentmay be applied to a tooth as an integral unit, the band being cementedin fixed position on the tooth.

The primary object of the present invention is the provision of a newand improved attaching device or element so as to provide a light Wireattachment which is resilient, but still will create a constant pressureagainst 'the teeth so that the teeth, one or more, may be graduallyshifted resiliently to proper position.

Another object of the invention consists in the provision of anattachment which may be secured to the band by soldering or the like,and at the same time permits the a arch or wire to be easily fastened tothe attachment so that a resilient flexible connection of the wire orarch may be applied from the wire to the attachment, and thence to theband, the band being cemented or otherwise aflixed to respective teeth.

Another important object of the invention consists in the provision ofan attachment for application to tooth bands, whereby the arch or wiremay be readily snapped into and out of position but still be preventedfrom accidental disconnection during use.

A still further object of considerable importance consists in thecombination of an attachment and band, the attachment being integralwith the band and still having the characteristics of permitting quickand easy applica-- tion and removal of the wire or arch, but preventingaccidental dislodgment or removal of the wire from the attachment partof the integral band.

Numerous other objects and advantages will be apparent throughout theprogress of the specification which is to follow.

The accompanying drawing illustrates certain selected embodiments of theinvention, and the views therein are as follows:

- Fig. 1 is an occlusal elevational view of the maxillary arch andembodying one form of the invention, only four incisor teeth beingshown;

Fig. 2 is a detail transverse view on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail elevational view, on an enlarged scale, showing oneform of attachment applied to a. band which is to surround a tooth;

Pig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing a modified form ofattachment to which the arch or wire may be received; I

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Figs. 3 and 4, but discloses the attachmentmember having a different form of wing which cooperates with retainingears to receive the arch w1re;

Fig. 6 is a detail plan view of the device shown in Fig. 5, the viewlooking in the direction of the arrows 6--6 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing the attachment memberfor the Wire or arch as being integral with a tooth band.

The particular construction and arrangement herein shown for the purposeof illustrating the invention is adapted to be applied to teeth, fourincisor teeth 1 being specifically shown. Separate individual bands 2 ofthe usual type are adapted to be secured to the teeth by cementing thebands thereto, Figs. 1 to 6. Attachments or attaching members 3 aresecured to each band 2 at the buccal or labial side of the teeth. Eachmember 3 is adapted to be provided with means for effecting a resilientor loose wire connection or attachment of the arch or wire 4 to theattachment 3. I

It is extremely desirable that the attachment member 3 have at least twoareas of attachment or attaching points, therefore, two wings 5 areprovided for each member 3, there being a wing provided on each side ofthe body 6 of each attaching member 3. The attaching member 3 is locatedbetween the vertical side edges of each tooth, and extends between theupper and lower edges of its cooperating band 2; that is, between thegingival and the occlusal of the teeth. Each wing 5 may be provided withan aperture '7, the aperture 7 of one wing 5 alining with the aperture 7of its other adjacent wing. The arch wire 4 is adapted to be received inthe aperture 7 of each wing 5, as shown in Fig. 3.

This same construction and arrangement maybe carried out whether theteeth be the incisors as shownin Fig. 1 or whether they include some orall of the incisors,

I as well as one or more of the cuspids or bicuspids.

In order to provide more ease in the application of the attaching member3 to a band 2, the wings 5, as shown in Fig. 4, may be provided withslits 3 extending into the openings or holes 7 of the wings. The slits 3divide the wings in two parts, 9 and 10, Fig. 4, so that one part(either the part 9 or 10 of each wing) may be bent inwardly or outwardlyto permit the arch wire 4 to be easily nested in place in itscooperating part of the opening 7, the previously bent part then beingbent back to original position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 4.

In actual practice, it has been found desirable that the attachingmember 3, Figs. 5 and 6, have the wings 5 provided with a relativelystraight surface 11 having an arcuate opening 12 into which the wire orarch 4 may be received. Immediately above the upper surface ill of thewings 5, as shown in Fig. 5, there are provided spaced retaining ears13, 13, which retaining ears are located at the gingival of the mouth.The retaining ears 13 are relatively flexible and resilient, and,therefore, when the retaining wire or arch 4 is applied in position, theretaining ears 13 will snap back inwardly, permitting the wire 4 to bereceived in the receiving recesses 12 with the lower edge of theretaining ears, Fig. 5, engaging the upper surface of the wire 4, Figs.5 and 6. The retaining cars 13, like the wings 5, are arranged at thebuccal or labial side.

The arch or wire 4 is arranged in position by merely laying the wire 4against the buccal side of the band, and then as the wire is pressedinwardly, the retaining cars 13 will flex toward the lingual side andthe wire will be in home position and maintained in place therein inrespective openings 12. The retaining cars 13 snap back to originalposition because of the inherent resiliency of the material from whichthe ears are made.

There is shown in Fig. 7 a member 14 in the form of a combination bandand attachment. This member 14 is formed from a strip of metal which islong enough to circle a tooth to form a band 15 which has an elongatedbody which is curved to conform with the shape of the tooth, the bandbeing cemented to a tooth in the usual manner. The member 14 includesthe attaching means 3 which has outstanding wings 16 and cars 18 struckout from the body of the strip and projecting at the buccal or labialside, the wings 16 and the cars 18 being identical in all respects withthe wings 5 and the ears 13 shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Each wing 16, likethe wings 5 of Fig. 5, has an opening 13 at its upper end to receive thearch or wire 4. The material of the strip between the wings 16 includesa body part 17 which is curved to conform with the curvature of thetooth and comprises a part of the band 15. Retaining ears 18 are struckfrom the body of the strip at the sides of the central opening 19 whichis formed by the cutting or striking out of the ears 18 from the strip.The ears 18 are identical in all respects to the retaining ears 13 ofFig. 5 and are for the same purpose. The wings 16 are struck outwardlyfrom the body of the strip or member 14, and form an opening 20 at oneside of each wing, but these openings in no way hinder the operation ofthe combined band and its attaching parts. The arch wire 4 is applied inposition in the same manner as previously described with respect toFigs. 5 and 6. The terms struck out from, struck from, striking out, orstruck outwardly from are commonly used in describing sheet metalforming steps, and means cutting a portion of the strip and bending thatcut portion out of the plane of the strip.

The structure disclosed in Fig. 7 may be very economically manufacturedand readily applied to teeth, the free ends of the strip being securedtogether to form a band in the same manner in which the other bands,shown in the drawing and conventional bands, are fastened and applied toteeth.

The arch wire 4, the bands 2 or 15, and the attaching means 3 are madeof non-corroding material, such as nickel-chrome, silver, gold or otheracceptable metal.

The arch wire 4 may be bent or looped above or below the horizontalcenter of the band to provide pressures against the tooth at positionsother than specifically shown herein.

The invention, including the several embodiments shown, comprises alight Wire attachment to effect positive, yet resilient, action on theteeth for straightening the teeth to normal position. A feature of theinvention consists in the ease of application of the wire or arch to theattachment, whether the attachment be a separate member secured to atooth band as shown in Figs. 1 to 6, or whether the attachment comprisesan integral part of the band as shown in Fig. 7. In all instances, thereare two areas of attachment of the wire or arch to each attaching member3 for each tooth. A further feature of the invention consists in thelooseness of the attachment with respect to the wire or arch, andfurther to effect easy and ready application of the arch wire to theattaching member. It is probably the preferred embodiment of theinvention in forming the retaining ears in cooperation with the wings topermit quick and easy application of the arch wire to the attachingmember, particularly in accordance with the embodiments disclosed inFigs. 5 to 7.

Changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of theparts without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificingany of its advantages, and the right is hereby reserved to make all suchchanges as fall fairly within the scope of the following claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A dental appliance comprising a band for application to a tooth, anattaching member on said band, integral wings on said member, said Wingshaving openings therein, an arch wire arranged in said openings, andretaining ears on said attaching member and arranged adjacent said wireto lock the arch wire in said openings.

2. A dental appliance comprising a band for securement to a tooth, anattaching member carried by said band, said attaching member comprisinga pair of outwardly extending spaced wings each having a wire receivingopening, said wings being substantially flat and the openings beingalined, an arch wire removably supported on the member at the openings,and means carried by the band for locking said arch wire in the openingand to said wings.

3. An arch wire supporting device comprising a body, a pair of resilientmetal spaced wings integral with the body and extending outwardlytherefrom, said wings being substantially parallel and having alinedwire supporting arcuate seats, an arch wire demountably received on saidseats, and means integral with the device for selectively locking thearch wire to the seats.

4. An arch wire supporting device comprising a body, a pair of resilientmetal spaced wings integral with the body, said wings having wiresupporting arcuate seats, an arch wire demountably mounted on saidseats, and resilient integral ears on the body and arranged adjacent thewire to prevent the wire from shifting vertically of said body.

5. A dental appliance comprising a non-corrosive band adapted to besecured to a tooth, an attaching member carried by said band andincluding a body portion, flexible integral metal wings bent from saidbody and projecting outwardly therefrom, said wings having open spacesprovided therein and forming opposed seats, a light flexible arch wiresupported on said seats, and flexible retaining ears on said bodyadjacent said wire to retain said wire on said seats.

6. A dental appliance made from a single strip of noncorrosive metal,said strip being configurated to encircle a tooth and forming a band,spaced metal wings struck up from said strip, said wings having alinedarcuate openings formed on a part thereof, a light spring wire mountedin said openings, and flexible retaining ears struck from said stripadjacent said Wire to retain said wire in said openings, said ears beingflexed inwardly when a pressure is applied thereto to permit the wire tobe arranged in said openings and springing to original position whenpressure thereagainst is released.

7. A dental appliance for teeth to shift one or more teeth to correctiveposition comprising a body made from a single strip of non-corrosivemetal to form a combined tooth band and an arch wire attachmenttherefor, said strip being configurated to form a band to conform withthe circumferential shape of a tooth transversely thereof, wings struckoutwardly from the strip to form supports for an arch wire, said wingsprojecting outwardly and having openings in alinement to receive an archwire, a 15 2,767,469

light springy arch wire loosely receivable in said openings, andretaining ears struck from said strip adjacent said wings and projectingoutwardly and overlying a part of the wings, said ears being flexible toallow the arch wire to become engageable with the wings when the earsare flexed inwardly to permit the wire to be received in said openings,said ears flexing outwardly when pressure is relieved to overly the archwire in the openings and lock the wire to the appliance.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSAtkinson Aug. 30, 1955 Gladstone Oct. 23, 1956

